Search - Siouxsie & Banshees :: Scream

3.5 Stars- An excellent debut

Laszlo Matyas | 11/16/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Released in 1978, Siouxsie And The Banshees' debut is a dark, heavy slice of post-punk (and, for that matter, pre-goth). The songs are dark and heavy, propelled by snarling guitars, twisted lyrical poetry, and apocalyptic soundscapes. Lead singer Siouxsie Sioux lends these songs a heavy, doom-laden atmosphere- on the classic "Jigsaw Feeling," her bewitching declarations soar above crashing, biting guitars and a squirming bass line, while the epic "Switch" sees her building from an acidic croon to a deadly chant. Other highlights include "Carcass," which uses the image of torture and cannibalism as an extended metaphor for the psychological effects of unrequited love... over a ridiculously catchy surf-rock background. The handclaps in the final verse are nothing short of genius. "Suburban Relapse" is a harrowing portrait of insanity, wit an absolutely Wagnerian sense of drama. There's also a really catchy cover of the Beatles' "Helter Skelter" (not as raw as the original, but pretty dementedly catchy).



It isn't perfect, though. There are a few too many weak songs here. "Pure" is just under two minutes of uninspired goth-punk noodlings with annoying wordless vocals, while "Overground" drags on with a droning, uninteresting melody and repetitive vocals. "Nicotine Stain" suffers from a similar malady. In general, the band's lyrics are on the weaker side. Even the best songs here are marred by a few forced lines (listen to that hackneyed imagery spoiling the cathartic last verse of "Suburban Relapse"). Nonetheless, there's enough great stuff here to make this an excellent addition to any post-punk collection."